Lights during engine start
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Lights during engine start
With regards to light piston aircraft, when starting engine, it is stated the avionics / radio should be off.
What about lights? Should they be off too?
As far as I know, lights (eg. anti collision) are not "sensitive" electrical components, so can be left on during engine start.
What about lights? Should they be off too?
As far as I know, lights (eg. anti collision) are not "sensitive" electrical components, so can be left on during engine start.
Industry standard for virtually all commercial operators is nav lights on when electrical power is applied (ie the master switch is turned on) and beacon on before starting.......and that is what my employer mandates when I fly the companies large T prop airliner....so that is what I teach my light aircraft students.
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The Beacon on for start is fantastic but even more important than that is the "Prop Clear" call IMO. As for Nav lights on during the day I don't really see that as necessary as the beacon lets people know that the master is on. One can't really discern a Nav light that is on or off in bright day light anyways, better off to save em for the night or poor vis conditions.
PS. This is for light A/C operations not Commercial Ops.
PS. This is for light A/C operations not Commercial Ops.
Normally in the singles I fly on Private Ops I have the beacon on and everything else not absolutely necessary to safely start the engine turned off to lessen the load on the battery when I turn the key. But in the first instance I recommend reading the POH and Flight Manual to see what the manufacturer recommends.
The reason that radios and avionics are turned off is to protect them from the high voltage back emf that appears when first connecting a DC motor (the starter) Fleming's right hand rule I believe. Most modern avionics have internal protection but some older equipment does not. Bulbs are not susceptible to such transients. The same reason that many car starter switches disconnect the radio when operating the starter.
Last edited by Whopity; 21st Sep 2011 at 08:11.
The reason that radios and avionics are turned off is to protect them from the high voltage back emf that appears when first connecting a DC motor (the starter). Most modern avionics have internal protection but some older equipment does not. Bulbs are not susceptible to such transients.
I agree about the lights.
G
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(The only time this should be a problem is if your airport requires a call for engine start, but that's pretty rare).
But it's no problem whatsoever wrt. avionics.
- Master on
- Avionics on
- Listen to ATIS
- Request startup
- Avionics off
- Alternator on
- Strobes on; fuel pump on
- Start engine; post-start engine checks
- Avionics on
- Request taxi
ATC, at least over here, expects you to have your radios off at the moment you're starting the engine. They know you'll get back to them to request taxi, and if they have anything to add, they'll do it then.
The only "issue" that you might have is if you have a fancy nav/com/gps box such as a GNS430 which requires a boot procedure and is only ready to transmit, or change frequencies, after 10 seconds of boot process and four button presses. For that reason I always request startup using the "old" instant-on radio that's installed as COM2.
Avionics off- Alternator on- Strobes on; fuel pump on - Start engine;
It won't be generating much electricity at that point, I understand Piper actually issued a notice changing their start procedure to start with the alternator off.
For light aircraft, my opinion is a very good lookout and a loud 'Clear prop' call
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Well, this is the order of the club-issued checklist and coincides with the flow of things through the cockpit. And frankly, it doesn't matter all that much whether the alternator is on during engine start or not. Although if it's cold or the battery is almost flat, I'm leaving everything off (including the strobes) until the engine is running.
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The only "issue" that you might have is if you have a fancy nav/com/gps box such as a GNS430 which requires a boot procedure and is only ready to transmit, or change frequencies, after 10 seconds of boot process and four button presses.
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True. So you need to anticipate whatever frequency you need to ask taxi permission on, and activate that before you switch the avionics off.
Can be done but requires a bit of forethought and is error-prone (as the frequency is usually not displayed at that time). For a savings of 10-15 seconds...
Can be done but requires a bit of forethought and is error-prone (as the frequency is usually not displayed at that time). For a savings of 10-15 seconds...
Strobes on
Although if it's cold or the battery is almost flat, I'm leaving everything off (including the strobes) until the engine is running.
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If the engine is about to be started, is running or in the process of running down the beacon should be on. PA28 to A380 it will still be the same.
I have been into other nearly-as-busy heavy-metal airports, but generally the ground environment is controlled enough that other methods are used to stop people walking into stuff (marshallers, call for start, mandatory airside training, very tight airside access control).
But we are talking about light GA here. If I start up at Popham I'm in a different environment to, say, Southampton. I sort of assumed that this thread was about the Pophams of this world?
G
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UV, It's a cold and damp winter morning. The aircraft hasn't flown in five days and is stored outside. The battery isn't 100%, the oil is thick and the starter old. Also the apron is completely empty.
What do you do?
1. Turn on all the lights, strobes and everything during a thorough walkaround, and turn on every possible electricity consumer while chatting with ATC about your startup clearance, departure route, squawk and the weather. Likewise during the start of the engine.
2. Only turn on the essential lights, check them quickly then shut off before doing the rest of the walkround. To request startup you only turn on the avionics that you need (one radio) and while starting, all other electricity consumers, including alternator field, avionics and lights are kept off.
1. might be the legally correct answer, but may also result in you not flying today because you drained the battery. So I choose 2.
Heck, if I really suspect a tricky situation wrt. the battery, I'm not going to check my lights during the walkaround (I can see most of them from the cockpit anyway) and will start the engine without requesting startup first. You will feel a bit silly asking for startup permission when the engine is already running but that will wear off after a while. And ATC knows how the game is played anyway.
What do you do?
1. Turn on all the lights, strobes and everything during a thorough walkaround, and turn on every possible electricity consumer while chatting with ATC about your startup clearance, departure route, squawk and the weather. Likewise during the start of the engine.
2. Only turn on the essential lights, check them quickly then shut off before doing the rest of the walkround. To request startup you only turn on the avionics that you need (one radio) and while starting, all other electricity consumers, including alternator field, avionics and lights are kept off.
1. might be the legally correct answer, but may also result in you not flying today because you drained the battery. So I choose 2.
Heck, if I really suspect a tricky situation wrt. the battery, I'm not going to check my lights during the walkaround (I can see most of them from the cockpit anyway) and will start the engine without requesting startup first. You will feel a bit silly asking for startup permission when the engine is already running but that will wear off after a while. And ATC knows how the game is played anyway.
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On our club a/c if it has a beacon it has to be on, if it only has strobes they have to be off. So that doesn't help at all really does it.
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At my place:
Rotating beacon - ON whenever engine is running or start is imminent
Navigation lights - ON when deemed necessary or legally required, low vis and night mostly.
Strobe lights - ON when entering active runway.
Then we've got some BE76 that doesn't have any rotating beacons, so we have to use or strobe lights as anti-collision. Acceptable under FAR Part 91, but you feel a bit silly at night flashing everyone else in their face.
Rotating beacon - ON whenever engine is running or start is imminent
Navigation lights - ON when deemed necessary or legally required, low vis and night mostly.
Strobe lights - ON when entering active runway.
Then we've got some BE76 that doesn't have any rotating beacons, so we have to use or strobe lights as anti-collision. Acceptable under FAR Part 91, but you feel a bit silly at night flashing everyone else in their face.
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Wiring
This is where the handheld VHF COM come into play, in my opinion. Get the ATIS and start-up clearance using the handheld, saving your limited ship's battery capacity for the start-up. On most small planes, you need to switch on the master just to activate one radio set, and that will usually start the power draining turn indicator right away.
Regarding lights, planes are not only equipped differently, but also wired differently. One some the ACL - anticollision light - (usually on the tail fin) is a non-strobe light and can be turned on seperately from the wing strobes. This is useful as the non-strobe ACL can be turned on just before engine start, and strobe light turned on while entering the runway. The big guys do it that way. But on many small planes with strobe lights there is only one ACL switch, so everyone is "flashed" once the compulsory light is on; people by the hangar, the fuel station and on the run-up ramp. Annoying especially at night.
Regarding lights, planes are not only equipped differently, but also wired differently. One some the ACL - anticollision light - (usually on the tail fin) is a non-strobe light and can be turned on seperately from the wing strobes. This is useful as the non-strobe ACL can be turned on just before engine start, and strobe light turned on while entering the runway. The big guys do it that way. But on many small planes with strobe lights there is only one ACL switch, so everyone is "flashed" once the compulsory light is on; people by the hangar, the fuel station and on the run-up ramp. Annoying especially at night.